The capital of French Polynesia, Papeete is a veritable island paradise with bright cerulean waters, iconic overwater bungalows, and palm trees galore.

The Darvaza Gas Crater, famously nicknamed the “Door to Hell,” is one of Turkmenistan’s most extraordinary landmarks. Located deep in the Karakum Desert, this fiery pit has been burning continuously since the early 1970s, when Soviet engineers reportedly set fire to a collapsed natural gas field to prevent the spread of methane.

Chios lies in the northeastern Aegean, close enough to the Turkish coast that the mainland feels present in daily life.

Santa Cruz de La Palma is the capital of the island of La Palma, one of the seven Canary Islands. Although often forgotten in favor of the similarly named Santa Cruz de Tenerife, it is a compact and colorful colonial town well worth a visit. Swimming, paragliding, and hiking and some of the most popular daytime activities, while stargazing is a favorite pastime after the sun goes down.

Darjeeling sits along a ridge in the eastern Himalaya, shaped by colonial history and long-standing ties to the surrounding hills.